Cooling system for internalcombustion engines



Oct. 7, 1952 .1. c. SLONNEGER COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTIONENGINES Filed Dec. .13; 1947 3mm John C. flormeger Patented Oct. 7, 1952COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTEBNAL- v COMBUSTION ENGINES John C. Slonneger,Dallas, Tex., assignor to The Continental Supply Company, Dallas, Tex.,a corporation of Delaware i Application December is, 1947, Serial no.791,485 12 Claims. (01. 12s-41.15)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in cooling systemsfor internal combustion engines. a

One objector the invention is to provide a cooling systemfor internalcombustion engines having improved means for permitting the addition ofwater, or other coolant, to the cooling system while the engine isrunning or inoperation.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved fillingmeans for the cooling systems of internal combustion engines whichprovides a relatively accurate estimate of the coolantlevel within theengine, and wherein provision is made for preventing the inherentturbulence of the coolant in such an engine from being reflected in thelevel indicating means.

A further'object of the invention is to provide an improved means foradding a coolant, such as water, to the cooling system of an internalcombustion engine which reduces'to a substantial degree the loss ofcoolant or anti-freeze solution by excessive evaporation through themeans by which the coolant is added to the cooling system.

A particular object of the inven'tionjis to pro: vide an improved meansfor adding a coolant to the cooling system of an internal combustionengine wherein said cooling system is of the convection circulationtype, said means facilitating the quick and easy determination of thecoolant level within "the system and the maintenance of said levelwithinthe maximum and minimum limits desired.

A construction designed to carry out the in-' vention will behereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein an example of the invention is and wherein:

"Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an internal combustion engine havingincorporated therein, a cooling system constructed in accordance withthis invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, side elevation of the coolant addition means, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view showing the means of circulationbetween the water jacket of the engine and the water tank carriedthereby.

In the drawing, the numeral 10 designates an internal combustion enginewhich may beof any desired type or structure in which a convectioncirculation cooling system is employed. The engine illustrated is of thehorizontal type, and it;

is customary to use what might be called a static cooling system in suchengines. The engine'jis provided with the usual 'water 'ja'cket 'Hsur;rounding the cylinder or cylinders "(not-"shown),- and a coolant such aswateris maintained-in said jacket. However, the coolantfis notcircula'ted under pressure but remains in a static body s'ui rounding orenclosing the heatedportions: of the engine. As .the' engine generatesheat in run ning, the coolant is heated" and circulates by convectionthrough the-jacket and normally reaches its boiling'point I period ofoperation of the engine.

As a part of the cooling system; a flat tank I is secured on top of thejacket ll and' communicates therewith by means of an opening-13in thebottomof the tank I 2 and whichcommuni cates with a correspondingopening fin the upper side of the jacket H. In this manner; 'water orany other suitable coolant may be supplied through the tank to thejacket wherein it-niay circulate about the heated portions of the enine.A suitable ventedradiator l5 isconnected with and supported on the tankand is'provided with a fan (not shown) enclosed in a s uitable guard ltror'drawing air through the radiator and cooling the same. The vaporsevolved by the coolantin the jacket ll pass upwardly into theradiatorI5, wherein the same are condensed and returned tothe cooling jacket. 1v U v The radiator l5 may be ofany'suitable: or' de: sirableconstruction and maybe vented in any desired fashion. Normally; theradiator will be Of the vertical tube typeand is providedfatits lowerend with an open space a communicating with the tank l2. A transversepartition bin th radiator carries the lower ends of upwardly extendingradiator tubes 0, and normally, a second communicating space (not shown)is pro vided at theupper end of the radiator, and the, bores of theradiator tubes 0 communicateithere with. For venting thev radiator, thelower end of one o'f the tubes 0 isclosed, this tube being designated-astubed, and is provided with the plug e in-its lower-end. A small openingis drilled through the wall of thetube d, and hence, the; radiator isvented from theupper communicating space, downwardly through theftube dand outwardly through the'opening f. t 5 In this type of engine, steamor vapor-coolingisordinarily employed since the engine is not, harmed byoperating at elevatedtemperatures so long ascertain imaximums are'not,exceeded. Such engines are designed to operate at tem-:

peratures near or at the boiling point of water,

or other coolant utilized, so that it is quite cusafter 'a consider 'ble3 tomary for the .coolant to be at a substantially constant boil duringoperation of the engine.

While the engine is not adversely affected by these elevated operatingtemperatures so long as an adequate quantity of coolant is present inthe jacket H, a number of diificulties inherently exist in the operationof such a cooling system. One difliculty has been the determination andmaintenance of a proper coolant level within the system. Because of theboiling and the consequent turbulence of the coolant, there isconsiderable bubbling and agitation within the cooling jacket and theaccurate determination of the coolant level is rendered well nighimpossible. The determination of this coolant level is import-ant since,if it becomes too low, the engine may overheat because of inadequacy ofthe quantity of coolant present. At the same time, if too much coolantis added, the boiling liquid may be thrown upwardly through the radiatorpassages or tubes and result in priming of the radiator. When the latteroccurs, considerable quantities of the coolant may be tied up in theradiator or entrapped therein, and in addition, portions of the coolantmay be blown from the vent of said radiator by vapor pressure, and thuslost.

-In view of these difliculties, it has been common practice in the pastto determine the coolant level within the engine aft-er the latter hasbeen stopped and boiling of the cool-ant has ceased. Obviously, it isunsatisfactory and impractical to stop the engine each time it isdesired to check the coolant level. This is especiallytrue since enginesof this type may be expected to operate for long periods of time withoutstopping, or may be employed in installations where the engine must runsubstantially continuously.

The present invention overcomes the difficulties recited by attaching tothe outside of the tank 12 an upright cupor receptacle ll having aloosely fitting lid [,8 which, while held closed by a spring-type hingeI9, is nevertheless non-sealing. A Z-shaped bracket H is carried by theengine and supports the cup at the same elevation as the normal coolantlevel in the engine. The cup has a reduced, depending, tubular portion20 into the bottom of which an elbow 2| (preferably 45") is fastened. Anelbow 22 is screwed into the side of the jacket H below or substantiallyin the plane of the longitudinal axis of the engine piston (not shown)which is substantially the medial portion of said jacket. A U-shapedsurge tube 23 has one leg suitably connected with the elbow 22 and theupper end of the opposite leg of the tube is bent to form an inclinedextension 24 which is suitably connected with the elbow 2|. It isobvious that the coolant level in the jacket II and tank 12 will be thesame as the coolant level in the cup ll, since both the radiator andsaid cup are vented to the atmosphere. The cup is of such depth that itsbottom corresponds to the minimum desirable level of the coolant in thejacket which is deemed safe for operation, while the top of the-cup isat such an elevation that it corresponds to the highest coolant levelthat may be maintained without causing objectional surging of steam orvapor in the radiator tubes, along with the consequent priming of saidradiator.

It will be apparent that so long as the coolant is present in the cup,the engine may be safely operated insofar as its cooling system isconcerned. An abnormal rise in the coolant level, due to expansion ordisplacement by steam or vapor, above the level of the top of the cup orby the addition of excessive amounts of coolant to the cooling system,will cause the coolant to overflow the cup since the lid [8 is notsealed. In a similar fashion,the operator of the engine may examine thecoolant level by raising the lid [8 without shutting off the engine, ormay add additional coolant when the coolant level reaches the bottom ofthe cup. Because of the inertia of the column of liquid in the tube 23,variations in pressure due to the turbulence or boiling of the coolantwill not cause objectionable movement of liquid in the cup. One purposeof forming the tube in a U-shape is to prevent therm-o-syphoniccirculation of the coolant in the jacket and the cup l1. Since no returnconductor is available and since the tube 23 is of relatively smalldiameter, such thermosyphonic circulation will not occur.

Since water is normally used as the coolant liquid for this type ofengine and since water is a relatively poor conductor of heat, suchwater, or other coolant, as remains in the cup will becomparatively'cool, thus preventing loss by excessive evaporation fromthe cup, or the loss of anti-freezesolu-tion when the same is used.Coolant may be added by pouring the same into the cup when the engine isrunning or when the engine is idle. The cup and the radiator beingvented to the atmosphere, the vapor pressure in the cooling system neverexceeds that of the atmosphere, and the liquid levels in the coolingjacket and in the cup remain substantially the same. 7

In this manner, since the turbulence of the coolant in the jacket II isnot communicated to thecoolant within the cup ll, said coolant will seekand maintain a substantially constant and steady level representing thetrue level of the coolant within the jacket I I. The operator of theengine may determine by a glance within the cup I'I whether such levelis within the described limits and thus be able to maintain the coolingsystem of the engine filled to the proper operating level. At the sametime, coolant may be added at any time that such becomes necessary ordesirable, by mere pouring into the cup H. The addition of excessivequantities of coolant is automatically negatived by the overflowing ofthe excessive amount from the upper end of the cup [1.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof andvarious changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in thedetails of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope ofthe appended claims, :vithout departing from the spirit of the invenion.

What I claim and desire to secure by letters Patent is:

l. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, a coolingjacket vented to the atmosphere, a filling receptacle vented to theatmosphere and having an open bore, and a U-tube connecting thereceptacle and the jacket and forming an unobstructed passage betweenthe bore of the receptacle and the jacket.

' 2. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, acooling jacket vented to the atmosphere, a filling receptacle vented tothe atmosphere and having an open bore, and a U-tube of restricteddiameter connecting the receptacle and the jacket and forming anunobstructed pasjacket, said filling receptacle having an open bore anda U-tube connecting the receptacle and the jacket and forming anunobstructed passage between the bore of the receptacle and the jacket.

4. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, a coolingjacket vented to the atmosphere, a filling receptacle vented to theatmosphere and having an open bore, a hinged lid I for the receptacle,and a U-shaped tube connecting the receptacle and the jacket and formingan unobstructed passage between the bore of the receptacle and thejacket.

5. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, a coolingjacket vented to the atmosphere, a filling receptacle vented to theatmosphere and having an open bore, and a U- shaped tube connecting thelower end of the receptacle and the jacket and forming an unobstructedpassage between the bore of the receptacle and the jacket.

6. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, a coolingjacket vented to the atmosphere, a filling receptacle vented to theatmosphere and having an open bore, and a U- shaped tube connecting thereceptacle and a point in the jacket below the normal coolant leveltherein and forming an unobstructed passage between the bore of thereceptacle and the jacket.

7. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, a coolingjacket vented to the atmosphere, a filling receptacle vented to theatmosphere and having an open bore, and a U- shaped tube connectedbetween the lower end of the receptacle and a point in the jacket belowthe normal coolant level therein and forming an unobstructed passagebetween the bore of the receptacle and the jacket.

8. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, a coolingjacket vented to the atmosphere having a normal coolant level therein,an open top cup having an open bore and having its upper end above theelevation of said normal coolant level, and a U-tube connecting thejacket and the cup and forming an unobstructed passage between the boreof the receptacle and the cup.

9. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, a coolingjacket vented to the atmosphere having a normal coolant level therein,an open top cup having its upper end above the elevation of said normalcoolant level, and a U-tube communicating between the cup and a iatmosphere having a normal coolant level therein, an open top cup havingits upper end above the elevation of said normal coolant level, thelower end of the cup being below said level, a spring-pressed lid forthe cup, and a U-shaped tube communicating between the cup and thejacket, one leg of the tube being longer than the other and connectedinto the bottom of the cup, the shorter leg being connected into thejacket at a point substantially below the normal coolant level.

11. A cooling system for internal combustion engines including, anengine cooling jacket vented to the atmosphere, an elevated coolantreceptacle connected with the engine radiator and jacket,

a liquid level indicating, and filling container located opposite thereceptacle, and a connection between the container and the jacketincluding a surge trap.

12. As a sub-combination in an internal combustion engine, means foradding water to said engine, said means including a U-shaped conductorhaving one end connected to the water jacket of the engine, and anenlarged section at the opposite end of said conductor, there being anopen continuous passage through the conductor and the enlargedsection atthe opposite end of said conductor. JOHN C. SLOENNEG ER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNI'IED STATES PATENTS

